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So I shut it

27: a

Mr Anderson‘s house was a ralass I had a general idea of its shape froraph had been taken in full suone, the house seemed massive, almost a mansion on a small rise above the lake Stone steps led down to a dock There was a slip where a boat would‘ve been, but that was e wooden ay off the back deck led to a three-season boathouse There was a stretch of brown sand at the water‘s edge, and two beached kayaks

Over rabbed my pack and led uest room but which turned out to be a series of three roo into the next: sitting rooer than three of mine, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath and shower stall with four heads that was large enough to fit an entire relay team

―Take your time,‖ he said as he headed back down the hall ―And use as rinned ―I have three sisters There was never any hot water by the tiot older, I would install three water heaters and name them after my sibs‖

The shoas heaven I was chilled to the bone and decided that this was no time for restraint Dare to be decadent I cranked on all the heads, dialing the water as hot as I could stand The water thundered onto my shoulders, streamed over the scars on raft on ue

My embarrassment

God, I‘d been stupid What an idiot I hadn‘t followed the rules every runner worth her salt kneas just lucky that Mr Anderson was a coach and understood what to do, how to help He was being cool about it

So why couldn‘t I follow his exa wasthat everything is your fault is like saying that the world revolves around you and that is pure narcissisht Like the man said: shut it

Incredibly, I was cleaned up and dressed before Mr Anderson was As I took the stairs to the first floor, I heard the distant rush of water from a shower at the opposite end of the house The house was laid out in a giant H: bedroo area to the left I headed left, down another carpeted hall to where I thought the kitchen must be

Classical music floated out of hidden speakers The air smelled a little like roses and soh s and skylights

In what I thought e picturefra on the opposite wall above a leather sofa: a younger Mr Anderson flanked by an older man and woman who, from the resemblance, had to be his parents; Mr Anderson when he was closer to e, in swim trunks, suspended at the peak of his dive; Mr Anderson, sprinting, chest out, legs scissored wide as he crossed the finish line first A shot of Mr Anderson underwater, in dive gear, his hair fanning like seaweed

At the far left, near a stone fireplace, were three more pictures One was of Mr

Anderson on his deck: in profile, standing at the railing, looking out over the lake with--

yup--a coffee cup in hand Mist rose from the lake and the trees were bare, so a shot in late fall or early spring, I thought

It was a nice picture and looked as if it hadn‘t been taken all that long ago

But, of the three, it was not the

c

There was only one other photo like it in this roohout the house, but I doubted it The halls were lined with paintings, not photographs On the other hand, perhaps tere all that were required to tell this particular story

In the earlier photograph, Mrs Anderson was as beautiful as a princess: sli river of dark curls Her wedding dress was v-necked and low-cut, and instead of a veil, she wore a wide-brile Mr Anderson sported a long-tailed tuxedo and a bright blue cuht out the color of his eyes Both of the as happy as you‘d think needs ought to be

The second, later photograph was a soft black and white From the furniture, I could tell that the picture had been taken in this room Mrs Anderson stood to the left of the picture , one hand on the back of a chair and the other draped over her stolow and turned her blouse translucent So there was no e